Diversity of self-propulsion speeds reduces motility-induced clustering in confined active matter.

Self-propelled swimmers such as bacteria agglomerate into clusters as a result of their persistent motion. In 1D, those clusters do not coalesce macroscopically and the stationary cluster size distribution (CSD) takes an exponential form. We develop a minimal lattice model for active particles in narrow channels to study how clustering is affected by the interplay between self-propulsion speed diversity and confinement.

Active mixtures in a narrow channel: motility diversity changes cluster sizes.

The persistent motion of bacteria produces clusters with a stationary cluster size distribution (CSD). Here we develop a minimal model for bacteria in a narrow channel to assess the relative importance of motility diversity (i.e.